Memory
by Srebrna
Summary: P&P AU: Elizabeth is quite sure that just a moment ago she was walking towards the parsonage... But was she?
1. August, 12th

A/N 1. This is an AU story based on Pride and Prejudice. If AUs aren't your thing, just don't read on.

A/N 2. English isn't my native language, so if you catch any errors, let me know, I love constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places or events that may be in any way related to P&P. And I surely don't make money on my writing.

**August, 12th**

She was floating in darkness, her body left somewhere long ago, her mind only steering her through the unknown. Why would anyone do this? Why did they leave her here? It was cold... She heard voices and turned around but only barely caught the sight of some movement.

_"...to tempt me..."_

She tried to see through the surrounding gloom, but nothing appeared.

_"...never receive... offer..."_

She felt her breath quicken.

_"...dearest, I hope... by next summer... mine?"_

She shook her head.

_"...most desirous... accept immediately..."_

Not recognising the voice, she tried to follow it.

_"...just accept my offer? Your father will certainly approve..."_

Her head was getting heavier by a minute.

_"...no monies, but th' wench hersel'..."_

_"...agreed not hurt too much..."_

_"...not_ too_ much..."_

_"...zabeth! Miss Elizabeth!"_

_"Lizzie!"_

"Lizzie! Lizzie!"

Her eyes felt heavy and her head ached.

"Lizzie?" soft hand touched her cheek.

"Charlotte...?" she murmured. "Wha..."

"Lizzie, it's me, Jane. Charlotte isn't here, dear"

Poor Jane. She sounded so tired. Why? It was her who was tired, so tired, so hurting everywhere, her head...

"Lizzie? Don't fall asleep, you must drink this."

Why was Jane looking so weird? Where exactly they were? Jane couldn't have come all this way Hertfordshire in her nightclothes, could she? There was something wrong with light and everything sounded weird. A cup was held to her lips, her head supported by a delicate hand and she swallowed first sip of unrecognisable soup.

"Sarah, please call the master, tell him she's awake," Jane addressed someone in the room. The supporting hand was removed and she saw a flurry of a maid's skirts when a dark-haired girl ran to the door.

"Now, here, Lizzie, try to drink some more. The doctor says it will do you much good."

"Jane? What... What happened?" her lips were parched and she felt a bit light-headed. "Where are we?"

Jane stared at her incredulously and just started to say something when the door opened again and hastily clad mister Bingley came in.

"Is she truly awake? Miss Elizabeth?" he kneeled next to her bed "Do you remember anything? What happened?"

Of course she remembered. It was simple, if rather personal.

"I was just walking through the park, reading mister Darcy's letter, when I slipped on a wet stone" she managed to utter, feeling shock at her sister's easy manner and apparent intimacy with their neighbour. "I remember thinking that I should have taken the wider path and that the shoes will be ruined if I manage to tear them on the stones."

She finally looked at them and noted two almost identical, wide-eyed stares of her sister and Mr Bingley.

"Which park are you speaking of, Lizzie?" asked her sister slowly.

"Why, the grounds of Rosings, of course. I just met Mr Darcy at the clearing and was walking back to the parsonage, reading his letter."

Jane and Mr Bingley looked at each other, before her elder sister smiled nervously and sat down on the coverlet.

"Lizzie... But you were visiting Charlotte more than two years ago. Yes, you slipped and hurt your ankle, and even got a bit of bump on the head, but that was... long ago."

She turned her disbelieving eyes on her sister.

"So... what happened to me?"

Jane sighed, moved a bit and settled down again. Only then did Lizzie notice the change in her normally slender figure.

"We don't know. We hoped you do."

**OooooO **

They sat in silence, Lizzie trying to take in the news of Jane's pregnancy, and Jane trying to understand the change in her sister.

_She looks like the old Lizzie, from before the visit to Hunsford. Always thinking ahead of others, always..._

"Jane?" Elizabeth put her cup on a nightstand and carefully wrapped the coverlet around herself, "What really happened? How come you don't know?"

Jane looked at the bedroom door, just in case some servant was standing there.

"We _really_ don't know. Charles is now following some... information he found when we were searching for you, and his people are making inquiries, but for now, we know nothing save that after being missing for over six weeks you have been delivered to Longbourn front doors by a hired carriage, accompanied by a hired maid and two footmen, and you were almost unconscious and had a pneumonia which could kill any weaker girl. The maid and the footmen waited only long enough to see you taken inside the house and for our father to sign them a letter, stating that they have indeed arrived here with you and you were whole and alive. They didn't really explain anything, couldn't say who sent you back to us..."

**OooooO**

_The maid, a plump, red-cheeked country girl with big hands curtsied clumsily._

_"No, ma'am, we don't know" she articulated carefully. "He was a gentleman and a rich one, too. He paid me half my year wages for bringing the lady here alive and well - or no worse than she was - and so I did. He promised another half when I return with this writing to the inn - and the men both the same."_

_"What did he look like?"_

_"Don't really know, ma'am. He came after dark to the inn, asked the barkeep for a maid to be hired to accompany a young miss, who has fallen from a horse and taken ill. Tall, for sure. Didn't look at'im too much, miss, was too busy packing my things. The barkeep always says not to look at the gentlemen too long."_

_Jane sighed. The girl was a whole foot shorter than herself, so for her any gentleman standing straight would be "tall", even if he was quite average._

_"Father will come shortly and sign the letter for you. I wanted only to ask... This gentleman... Did he..." she swallowed, unable to utter the word._

_"I don't know, ma'am, but he didn't seem like one of _these_. He told me she needed a woman to tend to her and that he hired two footmen to keep her from any more harm. He was... He was in a hurry, I'm sure." The girl gnawed on her thumb thoughtfully. "An' he cared for her, too. When we came and the carriage was waiting, he brought her downstairs himself, all wrapped in blankets, and helped me to lie her down on the seat and all. An' he made very sure that I have everything she needs. And she didn't have any good clothes but the dress, and that was torn and dirty. And no trunk or toiletries that ladies always have." She looked at Jane in curiosity. "She be your sister?"_

_Jane nodded only, trying to discern who the gentleman could have been._

_"She got lost, and her horse run away. She apparently lost her way or hurt herself and couldn't walk, and in these rains..." she paused. "Well, here is Father" she smiled at Mr Bennet. "And here is your letter. Thank you again..."_

**OooooO**

Jane was becoming quite proficient in the area of artificial smiles. One for Lizzie, so that she didn't know how worried they were. One for Father, to make him feel better about Lizzie. One for Charles, when he asked her not to exert herself...

She smiled now, with practised ease, at her sister's worried face.

"They assured me he was a gentleman and he seemed not to care about money. The girl was an inn servant and she probably saw her number of all kinds of men coming there - she said he was not 'one of these', meaning probably ones prone to forcing themselves on serving maids" Jane bit her lip at saying this. Her family got a lot more blunt and harsh over these two years and now she had to stop herself from saying something that would wound her sister's delicacy. Especially in this condition.

Especially_ not knowing_ anything about her condition.


	2. August, 14th

**August, 14th**

New morning dawned over Netherfield, colouring its fields with most enchanting shades of pastels. Unfortunately, not everyone felt as peaceful as the outside of the house looked. Someone especially was loudly opposing what they have been ordered to do...

"No, Jane, I'm _not_ eating _this_ again" Lizzie protested as she saw the contents of the breakfast tray.

Mrs Bingley, already dressed for the day, accompanied the maid who brought the meal.

"Oh, but you are. The doctor said so. You will never get better if you do not eat and you simply _cannot_ eat anything stronger."

Her sister sat heavily on the mattress and handed her a spoon and a bowl.

"Now, you are going to eat this oatmeal like a good girl you are, then Violet here is going to give you your medicines and then – and only if you are nice – Kitty is going to come and sit with you. And if you get stronger as the doctor predicted, you may even find some cream in your bowl in a few days"

"I don't care for cream and I'd rather you sat with me, Jane" Lizzie whispered. "I'm afraid I need you to tell me everything from the beginning, I still don't understand what is happening around me."

"I would have done so yesterday, but then you were rather indisposed" Jane shuddered inwardly and smiled forcefully. "So, what do you want to know?"

"When did you get married?" Lizzie blurted, as this was the first thing that started nagging her after she woke up. "And where? And how did it look like? Who came? How..."

Jane smiled dreamily.

"Oh, it was so... Quite sweet, actually. You came back from Hunsford and Mamma was fussing over your ankle, worrying that if it does not heal properly, you will never get married, or even have a dance. And you were... Oh, you were hurt and didn't want to see anyone, and you had some fever after riding this long with this ankle."

She shifted a bit in her place.

"And Mamma wasn't really paying me much attention - certainly much less than normally, and I was actually thankful for it, and she didn't send Mary with me when I walked to Meryton, to see Aunt Philips one day..."

**XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX**

_"Miss Bennet?"_

_She twirled around, only to face the one man she never expected to meet again._

_"Mr Bingley." Her curtsey was absolutely polite and formal. His bow - even though he was still holding his horse's reins - was quite deep._

_"How good to see you, Miss Bennet! How do you do? How are your parents? Your sisters?"_

_"Thank you, sir, we are all quite well."_

_There was no proper way to explain to a man - a stranger, after all - that her sister has twisted her ankle. After all, young men should not be aware that young ladies even possessed such things as ankles... That is, they _knew_ of course..._

_She caught herself of babbling inside her own head._

_"Yes, we are all well." She repeated, smiling kindly. "And how are your sisters? Are they staying at Netherfield this summer?"  
_

_"N-no, I mean, they are well, thank you, but they planned stay in town this year, as they wish to visit one of their friends who lives nearby. I came by myself, just to... to have some fresh air." He gestured in an obscure direction. "I felt so stifled in London. It was quite unbearable."_

_She smiled again, not really knowing an appropriate answer._

_"I... I should go now" he said hesitantly. "I hope we will meet again."  
_

_She curtsied silently, not daring to voice her own hopes in this matter._

_"Please, convey my regards to your family, Miss Bennet."_

_"Thank you, sir. I will."_

**XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX**

"...and I thought - of course, he was polite and everything that is pleasing, but so was everyone else that spring, so I never suspected him to come and wait on us so soon - and of course Mamma was convincing Papa that it would be most disastrous for us if he did not go and visit Mr Bingley, and Papa was having none of it. So he didn't go and visit and Mr Bingley didn't come and visit us. Only... I met him on the lane near the lake few days later, and he talked to me in such an animated way, and was so... attentive, and he just seemed to much more _active_ and _reasonable_ and... and I thought - but just for a minute - that he may be actually... Well, I didn't know. And then he came on one gloomy, rather cloudy morning, and called on us. And Mamma was of course talking to him for most of the time. And I just couldn't force myself to make a polite conversation. Oh, I'm afraid I behaved like a backcountry girl. But he didn't seem to notice. But after he left, Papa made some joke about young men coming and going away if they don't receive some intelligent response, and I was _so_ embarrassed. And then, one day I went to check new books in the town..."

**XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX**

_Mary was trying to read her new book and not lose the other three she bought, Jane was only hoping to save her light shoes from ever-present mud and Mr Bingley was apparently walking with his head in the clouds. When the two of them collided with him in a most uncivilised manner, he simply _had to_ help Miss Bennet to regain her balance by catching her quickly, before she fell in the puddle. Then they collected Mary's books - fortunately scattered on the dry ground, dusted themselves a bit, straightened a cravat or a bonnet and stared at each other in wonder._

_"Ekhm" came from Mary, who stood there, still holding her poor books. "I'll go on, Jane, Mamma is probably waiting for us. We shouldn't be late."_

_"Yes-yes" Jane felt her face redden. "I will join you in a minute."_

_Mary just emitted another sound, proving her overall disagreement with the world, and marched on._

_"Miss Bennet, are you quite all right?" Mr Bingley asked anxiously. "I would be mortified if anything happened to you" he added, his voice full of some yet-unknown to her passion._

_"This was no great thing, sir, and I thank you for your assistance. I would probably have to walk all the way home splattered in mud. I'm afraid I have to go and join Mary now."_

_She turned with every intention to leave._

_"I have only one wish, Miss Bennet" he said, looking intently at her. "That you let me come today and call on you all and let me... give me five short minutes of your time. I'd like to... explain something. If you would allow me?"_

_She could only agree and leave him there, in the middle of the street, still standing with his hat in one hand and his gloves in the other._

_This very afternoon he called and, as Mrs Bennet swiftly removed all the witnesses - which would usually embarrass him greatly - he finally managed to force the words that had been plaguing his mind for the last days._

_"Miss Bennet, however improperly I might have behaved in the past, however I might have hurt you with my actions - please, be so kind to accept my apology - and, if you would - my offer of my love."_

_He finally looked at her directly, seeing her for the first time this day truly._

_"I know that my words may seem rushed, or absolutely out of place - but it is not as if we knew each other for the last few weeks - we have met so long before - and even in these months when I could not see you, I always loved you. I've been foolish and let others overpower my mind and my reasoning, but I have been shown the light of truth and I dare not lose this chance. So now, with this spoken finally, I would like only to ask you for a quick decision, as were you to reject me, I'd leave the neighbourhood immediately in order not to disturb you or anybody else with my presence."_

_She flushed dark crimson again and only held one hand to him. He captured it and placed one, delicate and very chaste kiss on it._

_"I accept" she said simply. "I don't think you have really done anything..."_

_"Miss Bennet" he interrupted her in animation. "I know very well now how much pain I must have caused you, and you must never belittle this. I only hope that I may someday be able to feel that I have repaired everything I have broken, no matter how it happened."_

_She let him hold both of her small, cold and trembling hands in his warm and strong ones._

_"This you may certainly hope."_

_He pressed a short kiss to her hand again._

_"May I have your approval to go and speak to your father?"_

_She nodded, her cheeks again flushed._

_"So this I'll do, my... My Jane" he whispered into her hair. "My Jane."_

**XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX**

Jane was flushing again as she told the story in short, rapid sentences.

"He spoke to Papa, and I went to Mamma - she was probably expecting this kind of outcome as she was waiting for me in her sitting room. Papa probably was already deep in account books and Charles had to disturb him, but at the end it turned out well. Mamma could cry and have her nervous attacks in my presence only, Charles managed to come to some agreement with Papa - I suspected they already spoke about money - and then we met downstairs. Of course Mamma was a bit loud - but Charles is such a good and patient man, Lizzie, he stood bravely through all of this, and he promised to come on the next morning and take me for a walk..." she smiled sweetly. "And in October we got married - and everyone was there, my uncle Gardiner, and Caroline, and Louisa, absolutely everyone. We had a splendid wedding breakfast at Netherfield and left the party in the afternoon as we had planned to tour the seacoast for three weeks. And it was absolutely wonderful, I tell you, Lizzie, I've never been so happy before."

Her sister held her hands in tight grip.

"I'm so happy for you, Jane. I always knew you will fit very well together and now I see that you are actually... I'd say, blossoming" she pointed delicately in her sisters direction.

Jane put one hand on her abdomen protectively.

"Charles was overjoyed when I told him I'm expecting. He almost didn't let me out of the house, so the doctor told him most sternly that I need the sunlight and the air. But I still couldn't walk too far and I was really bored at home. This was one of the reasons you were moved here from Longbourn" she added. "Mamma was in hysteria when you came back, and the doctor said you would never get better if you stay there. One day when he was here, checking up on me and relaying your condition, he asked if you could stay with us at least for some time, as Mamma was no use and all the servants were trying to cope with her_and_ take care of you. And he said that his visits to Longbourn would be looking suspicious if they continued for some time more, and his coming here almost every day was perfectly normal. So I organised with Mrs Redford - this is our housekeeper - and Hill for you to be wrapped warmly, put into one of our carriages and installed here. All your things have been packed too, so if you want anything, it should be in this room somewhere. And the doctor came here every day, so of course the town is now speculating on... Oh, you know. I'm so embarrassed, they are all talking about my..." she flushed beautifully again. "But this is only to be expected, I'm afraid. Better have them talk about things we have announced than about things we want to keep secret, don't you agree?"

Lizzie patted her hand. She noted with contentment that her sister was actually _talking_. And in such an emotional way - in their family she was always the most quiet, delicately-spoken and shy, and now, in Mr Bingley's company she actually developed a liking to speak, and quite a lot. It was weird, in a way, this was not the timid, sad and distant Jane she left, going to visit Charlotte. But still, it was a developement she would wish for her sister. Perhaps now, as a mistress of her own estate, with a good, supporting husband and no loud younger sisters around, she simply felt more at ease to speak her mind. That was good. That was very good.

"You did wonderfully, Jane. I don't think I would be able to hold as well as you did. Did you... did you send to Longbourn that I'm better now?"

"Oh, of course. Papa sends his greetings, Mamma hopes it's not just a false improvement and Kitty will come as soon as I send for her, to keep you company. As she wrote _'I will talk to her until she falls asleep, and you go out and take your sun'_. She sure is still a bit too direct, but she is at least thoughtful when it comes to the feelings of others. So she will come today and talk you to sleep."

Lizzie was swallowing her oatmeal in disgusted silence.

"I hope you get better soon, Lizzie" her older sister sighed suddenly. "It would be good to have you _back_."

---------

A/N: Thenk you **all** for the wonderful reviews - they kept me writing this whole week. I didn't expect to get so many Favs after only this one chapter and I'm actually astonished :) Everyone who has put an alert (or asked for updates) - I'll try to post once a week, as I have planned much shorter and more concise story and the thing is now growing in my hands. I need to rewrite the plan, reposition some events and check everything back for correct order and consistency of facts. I hope you'll like "less often, story makes more sense" model :)

Some chapters were already written, now they are being rewritten, but once a week is a reasonable estimate :)

I try to keep with the right time kind of language, but I'm afraid things tend to drift to more modern phrasing, I'll make sure it is as little as possible. Perhaps re-reading of P&P and S&S would be in order just to make myself think in the right way.

Thank you once again and I hope you liked this part.


	3. August, 14th II

**August, 14th**

"And, Lizzy, it was _so_ romantic!" Kitty's eyes widened. "We were so absolutely_ miserable_ after you came back with this twisted ankle - Mamma was all the time moaning about how she will never see you get married, nobody would want you with your one thousand _and_ a bad leg, and it was absolutely awful."

As Elizabeth obediently ate everything that the doctor ordered (and Netherfield cook prepared, as well as anyone may prepare thin chicken broth without much seasoning), Jane not only allowed Kitty to come and see her sister, but to stay for the whole evening and gossip. At first, Kitty couldn't wrap her mind around the notion that Lizzy doesn't remember anything and sat, tongue-tied, trying to think up things to say.

After a lengthy silence, Lizzy took her hand.

"Just imagine you are telling this to someone who was not there. Like you tell things to Maria Lucas. Oh, Kitty, please, you know that Jane has a lot to do before the little one arrives and I am just dying of curiosity... Please?"

The younger girl patted her hand.

"I will, I will, but you know, Lizzy, it's _still_ strange, you were there - most of the time, I mean, you couldn't go downstairs, but we were relating it all to you everyday!"

"Just... tell. From the beginning."

Kitty sighed, rolling her eyes, and decided to indulge her sister. And now she was warming up with the story, as they already covered everything that happened during Lizzy's stay in Hunsford, and Kitty approached her favourite, _romantic_ part.

"So, Mamma was of course all troubled with you and your leg and didn't pay us even a bit of attention. Papa hid in his study, so it was only Mary and me who saw it all. Mary told me - she was surely shocked - that Mr Bingley run into them in the town and was absolutely speechless as long as she stood there, but as soon as she left, they started speaking. And _I_ know - but I didn't tell her - that they met at least twice before. And, of course, he finally came to visit us, even though Papa absolutely didn't want to go first. But it was only _after_ he met Jane in town."

"How do you know _that_?" Lizzy was quite curious.

"Oh, Mamma was fussing, Hill was busy making whatever the doctor ordered, servants were trying to calm Mamma down and I was again having a cough, so Mamma told me to go and stop _tearing her nerves_. She didn't say where I should go so I though I'll just walk to Meryton, or at least to Lucas Lodge and visit Maria, but I saw Jane walking some way before me, so I wanted to go with her. But she was faster and managed to get to Meryton long before I could, and I saw Jane walking to my Aunt Philips, all red and breathing fast and then I saw Mr Bingley standing there, on the pavement, and I tell you, _he_ was red. And had this silly smile all over his face. And was trying to put his left glove on his right hand. So, I thought, he came back and maybe there will be a ball, and maybe he could court Jane and we would have even bigger ball for their engagement. So, I thought, I should not tell Mamma, because she would make lots of noise and run him away again. I am quite sure it was Mamma's talking that made him leave the last time. I swear, when I find a husband, I won't have him cross our door before I made sure he is madly in love with me and can stand all Mamma's speeches."

Lizzy sat there, silent. Kitty, little stupid Kitty, had actually made a most grown-up and adult remark she had ever uttered. She saw what their mother's actions could do to their future...

"Have you found anyone suitable yet?"

Kitty just shook her head.

"No good _matches_ around. Uncle Philips's clerks are too young or too old, all of them poor and without prospects. The officers are... Oh, they may be nice and attentive, but when I got them once to talk about their income, you know, they are actually as poor as us - younger sons, all of them, and no property or capital to have income from."

"I see. Who are you, and what have you done to Kitty Bennet?" Lizzy asked with a grin.

"Oh, Lizzy, I have to know such things! Girl may flirt or have a walk or a dance with any nice gentleman, but to have a comfortable life, one must check if this gentleman comes with some means to support her! I know I sound mercenary, but Mary has been doing all our accounting now, as Father was too preoccupied with... Oh, she was just doing all the books, and she bemoaned _daily_ that I spend too much on my bonnets and flowers and such, so I wanted to prove to her I didn't spend my whole allowance."

She actually fell silent for a moment.

"I learned a lot about adding _many_ little sums into one _big_ sum. Oh, they do add up quite well. And quite soon I saw that I would never be able to live on my own income, so I must find a nice gentleman equipped with some appropriate numer of thousands. I don't want to count my pennies every time I want a new handkerchief!" she said resolutely. "So, I count on Jane and Bingley to invite someday a nice, well mannered gentleman burdened with a nice income, who will fall madly in love with me and offer to Papa for my hand just because I'm the loveliest lady in whole Hertfordshire." She made a face. "Of course, as soon as _you_ get better, I will have to snatch such gentlemen first, if I want to have any. You were always getting more company whenever you cared to exert a bit."

Lizzy swallowed with difficulty. This conversation was turning to something_very_ unpleasant.

"But what about Jane and... and Charles? How did it go? Where did you see them again?"

Kitty's eyes sparkled.

"They met on this little lane, between the pastures. He was walking with his horse - wonder why, he could have riden it! - and Jane wanted some air, or so she said. I..."

"You were spying on them?" concluded Lizzy.

"N-no. Maybe a bit. I just wanted to see... Yes. Oh, you know, they were so silly and flushed all the time, and they _pretended_ to talk just about anything, but Jane was _looking_ at him under these lashes of hers, and looking at her gloves, and twisting her shawl, oh, Lizzy, if you could have seen them, they looked absolutely childish. And Mr Bingley was playing with his hat, and fixing the reins, and blushing. And he was asking all these proper questions, about the family, and plans for the summer and whatever. And he was maneuvring the horse so that they finally stood just so close" here she showed it was not further apart than a step "and he looked her straight in her face and then bowed and..." a short giggle escaped Kitty "...he kissed her hands! But not as one gets sometimes kissed, on the top, but he kissed every finger and then turned them and kissed the inside, too. I thought Jane would catch fire if she keeps blushing any longer. And he looked at her up from over her hands..." she sighed. "And he asked something, and she nodded, and then he offered her his arm and walked part of the way home. And when they were saying good-bye, he kissed her hands again, and added 'tomorrow'" Kitty sighed deeply, her cheeks lightly flushed. "And he came for a visit, and Mamma was trying to get him alone with Jane, and Papa was having none of it and conversing with him all the time. Then he came for a dinner, again for just a call, and as Papa was reading his letters, Mamma sent me up to attend to you and somehow managed to let them be alone for a whole quater hour!"

"That's a lot of time" teased Lizzy. "Do you think it took him the whole time to make his offer?"

Kitty giggled shrilly.

"Oh, no! Because then you sent me down to check what is being done and I walked on them, sitting on the couch, just barely, barely holding hands, but Jane's hair was _disturbed_! And she was all pink and couldn't look up. Then he went to Papa, stayed there for an _hour_ and came out with this silly grin again. And Jane sat there as if she couldn't believe, and as he went to her, oh, we were watching it, and they didn't care! He kneeled in front of her, and took out this fancy velvet box, and asked her if she wants an early birthday present - it was just a week till her birthday, mind you - or if she wants him to wait until the day. _Of course_ she didn't want to wait, so he took out this _exquisite_ tiny little ring, very pretty, but _elegant_, you know, ask her to show it to you, and he put it on her finger. And then he kissed her fingers and held her hand in his for _all_ the evening. He let go of her only once, to tell Mamma and you, as Mamma sat in her room. Of course she started shouting and crying and whatnot, I thought poor Jane would be left without her fiance just after one hour, he could have easily run when he heard Mamma."

Lizzy smiled weakly at this prospect.

"So, they got married when?"

"Mamma wanted to fix everything and prepare, and to get a seamstress from London, oh, it was such a great fun! But finally Jane got a beautiful pale blue dress with white roses, white bonnet with roses, everything with roses. You could stand already, but not walk, so you sat just in front or everybody, and then we moved you for the breakfast. And there were all the officers who wanted to talk to you, to tell you a joke or bring you more wine, oh, I should twist an ankle someday, perhaps they would pay me lots of attention too!"

When Kitty finally left, Lizzy wrapped herself tighter with her shawl. Officers. Attention. Jane's wedding... She shuddered. _What exactly have happened in these two years?_

Long in the night she laid, staring into darkness, forcing her mind to work on the question. Only long after midnight did she fall asleep and her sleep was not an easy one...

--------

A/N: Thank you for waiting, I had an absolutely hellish week (try programming in SQL with an overactive 2-year-old needing company) and my precious writing time equaled almost zero. I hope someone likes it,I thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favs :) and I hope the next week will be nearer to normalcy and allowing for some nice writing.

A/N: I have updated this chapter following Sarahbarr17's suggestion - thanks :)


	4. August, 18th

**August, 18th**

The room was quiet, except for an occasional whisper of pages turning or the maid's knitting needles clinking together. The maid herself was a silent, gentle and quick-witted creature, chosen by the housekeeper to watch over the mistress' sick sister as she was the only one guaranteed to keep her mouth shut about whatever happened in the room. She spent her time knitting, mending or sewing, as the young lady didn't object to her working on something else, while unoccupied - unlike some so-called _ladies_, who wanted maid's attention all to themselves and couldn't stand one even mending their clothes in their sight. Peculiar, this, but Sarah was grateful she could finally work on her winter scarf. And Miss Bennet even enquired - although weakly - about her handiwork, and looked genuinely interested in it. Oh, young ladies may interest themselves in whatever they wanted, for sure. Still, Sarah was glad for the arrangement - she could always put down her work to assist the ailing lady, the lady had someone to look after her in case the fever returned, the housekeeper was sure no gossips will be flying around, the mistress was sure her sister was watched properly. All around a good idea.

This day was rather uneventful - Mr Jones came only for a few moments, to check Miss' progress, he left orders for a change of diet and had to run to some other patient. Mrs Ronson, the housekeeper, gave Sarah her portion of mending to do during Miss Bennet's afternoon nap and Sarah found a tuppence in one of the pockets. She gave it back to Mrs Ronson, who only smiled and ordered her to keep it. Miss Bennet wanted a book from the library, but Sarah had to ask the butler for it - she couldn't work out the fancy lettering on the spines. All together a perfectly ordinary day.

A slight knock on the door meant the supper is coming and with it, probably, the mistress. And here it was. A large tray, but not much on it - a soup bowl, some toast, probably oatmeal with some cream or sugar. Sarah almost expected more complaining from the young Miss, but it never came. She just stared at the delicate china with hatred and started eating, clearly trying to swallow as much as she could without chewing. Sarah understood, for sure - after all, poor girl has been eating the same food for the last week, no meat - the doctor warned them that her stomach may not keep it - no salt, no stronger tea to warm her and wake her up.

Elizabeth was quite content with her assigned maid - she didn't remember having her personal servant ever before, even though Jane assured her of having had one when she stayed in Netherfield before. This girl was unintrusive and faded into the woodwork, but she was also immensely helpful, still in the same quiet way. She worked all day - actually asked Elizabeth for approval before bringing in her basket, as she was afraid of discomfiting "the Miss". Only strong assurances made her to stop asking every time she wanted to do some knitting. Elizabeth was astonished - most maids would use "watching duty" to stay sitting and preferably not doing anything unless told so.

"Sarah? Make sure Miss Bennet's bath is prepared and come back in half an hour to help her. Also, remind cook that we will need something more nourishing for tomorrow, from the doctor's list. And prepare the warmest night-clothes."

"Yes, ma'am."

She could only curtsy and leave the room, even though her ears burned with curiosity. Oh, she will hear it all afterwards, if not from some other servants, then from Miss Bennet herself. Every secret comes out finally, one just has to wait. And if one waits in a sickroom, all secrets come out even sooner.

Lizzy put down her book, looking questioningly at her sister, but whatever Jane might have wanted to say was apparently not to be heard by the maids who brought the tray. At last the door closed behind the girls and Jane sat in her armchair. She bit her lip and looked quite uneasy.

"Lizzy, there is something I need to talk to you about" she began hesitantly. "As... As there has been some time... That you were missing..."

She paused in discomfort, searching for appropriate words in order not to frighten Elizabeth, but to convey the need for urgency.

"Yes?" Lizzy sipped her thin tea, left on the nightstand by the last maid.

"The doctor is coming today to see me, and in the evening the midwife will come to arrange everything - the baby is due in no more than five weeks - and... I think one of them... that you should see one of them."

"But why? I'm getting better, Mr Jones already said that, and I'm eating properly. Even the oatmeal" she added disdainfully.

Jane's blue eyes filled with tears at the thought of her sister's innocence.

"Lizzy, there might..." _Oh, how should I proceed? Mamma wasn't the best teacher on this subject, Aunt was so much better, but I can't wait for Aunt to arrive, the time is pressing..._ "You have been missing for about six weeks. For the last few days someone apparently cared for you - they managed to procure the address of Longbourn and they sent you back, but before... When these... People, they were holding you, and they let you fall ill, but they might have also..." Jane breathed in deeply. "They might have hurt you in another way. The midwife may check... She might tell us if _it_ happened" she stressed and silently begged her sister to understand. "If it _did_, she might be able to tell if _it_ had... consequences" she ended with a horrified whisper.

Lizzy still stared at Jane with amazement, when her sister moving her hands over her extended front suddenly enlightened her. Her head spinned and she swallowed convulsively. "No. No. Jane, please. No! I can't..." she gagged and put down her teacup with a shaky hand. "Oh, Jane, I think I'm going to be sick."

She hid her face in the bed cover. The very thought of what her sister was alluding to terrified her to the bone. She didn't remember anything, she was still sore in so many places that she couldn't even begin to guess if _the worst_ have happened. It could have. These people...

"Lizzy?" Jane said quietly. "Do you want to live in fear and uncertainty? Or do you want to make reasonable decisions? I suggest you let old Eleanor see you today. She is a bit on a harsh side, but she would never hurt anyone and she is really symphatetic. And it's not as if your family was going to disown you if... If something happened. You had no control over this, you don't even remember what happened! Nobody is going to blame _you_. And we would be able to... to..." _to take care of this_. But she couldn't add this, could not frighten Elizabeth further. It would not do.

Elizabeth's face turned as white as the sheets she was laying on, making all her freckles to stand out and her hair look even darker.

"No, Jane. I will not let anyone to... I can't think about it. My head hurts. My stomach hurts. I can't even think. No, please. Not today. I want to be alone, please. Ask Sarah... Tell Sarah to make the water hot." Never before did she feel this overpowering need to scrub herself raw. Preferably with the harshest soap available in the household.

Jane watched her younger sister's form curl into a ball on the large bed. More than ever, she resembled a child now. More than ever Jane feared that "Lizzy" would be soon gone forever.

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A/N: This one went much faster, but for the next chapter you will have to wait a bit - catching up at work... Thank you for reviews and I'm thrilled about the number of people who have my _humble story_ on their fav and alert lists :)


	5. August, 19th

**August, 19th**

"Oh, no!" Mrs Moosecombe looked at the young man sitting at her tea-table. "You should not misunderstand me, Mr Tippens" she added hurriedly. "But they aren't a family such a nice gentleman like you should become too close to. If not for the eldest girl, they wouldn't be noticed by anybody from the neighbourhood. It's not that I like to pry into my neighbours business, but they almost don't try to hide it..."

She smiled in the most venomous way he saw in the last two weeks. The previous record belonged to a viper he found on one of the nearby meadows. Of course she didn't like to pry. She simply _loved_ to pry.

"I have no pleasure of understanding you, Mrs Moosecombe. Miss Mary seemed quite a proper young lady to me. Perhaps a trifle overly concentrated on books, if compared to other girls, but this should hardly be a failing in the eyes of society!"

Young Meryton curate was visiting all major citizens and landowners of neighbourhood on his superior's suggestion that this would be the best way to make himself known to their parishioners and get to know them himself. He chose to start tactically with the oldest and most prone to gossip - his own mother being the local information centre in their village he felt quite sure he could gather some valuable insight on the families from nearby estates over tea, coffee, cakes and several minor dinners.

So here he was, in Moosecombe House, surrounded by a collection of stuffed squirrel, which seemed to be glaring at him with glass eyes and listening to Mrs Moosecombe, a respected widow, pass on him the essential knowledge of the locals, and especially the Bennet family.

And the knowledge, he didn't like it at all.

He needed only to allude to the fact that he had been invited (but not yet visited) to Longbourn to give his hostess apparently a much waited-for opening. He sat now, silently, trying to match the description he was hearing with what he could glean from his three short talks with the middle Bennet girl.

"Miss Mary, you say? Has Fanny Bennet been trying to set you up with her ugliest offspring?" Mrs Moosecombe positively smirked. "Remember, don't let the girl near anything with a keyboard. She could scare a deaf man with her wailing and put the whole congregation to sleep with her playing."

Hubert Tippens bit his lip and stayed quiet. His old mother enjoyed a bit of gossip, for sure, but she was rarely this vicious and never shared such derogatory opinions as this. He made a mental note to consult old dr. Byworth about the Bennets and to get to the bottom of the problem. He would have to sit now and listen attentively, just in case the hostess finally told something that he could use as a starting point even though he was becoming more and more disgusted with her conduct. Hopefully some other neighbours would be more pleasant.

They were, actually, although it took him some time to find these.

After having his fill of Mrs Moosecombe slanderous "news" and feeling quite enlightened as to the character of at least of one of his new herd, he felt a need for a walk in order to calm his mind before supper with his superior. So he went, across the small, sleepy town, with the setting sun warming his face, only to be unceremoniously bumped into by a running girl. The girl - pretty, slim thing with lots of blonde curls - gave a surprised shriek, lost her balance and almost - but only almost - landed on someone's fence. This would probably mean a torn gown, some improper display of undergarments and, if somebody came across them at the moment, a loss of reputation. Fortunately he caught her at a good distance from the biggest and ugliest rusty nail he ever saw and managed to steady her on her feet.

"You alright, miss?" he asked hurriedly, as she caught his arm - probably to support herself before regaining her balance, but she leaned a bit too much on him for his comfort.

"Why, yes, I'm... I hope I'm alright" she finished weakly. "I'm sorry I run into you, sir, but... Oh, it's so annoying!" she burst suddenly and finally looked at him. "But, I'm _really_ sorry. You are Mr Tippens, am I correct?"

"Yes, ma-am." He gave the girl a little half-bow. "And you are...?"

"Mariah Lucas" she curtsied. "I know it's not exactly proper for me to introduce myself, but I hope you will overlook it in these circumstances. And not inform my father" she rolled her eyes. "He thinks I shouldn't keep company with Kitty and she is bad influence, and this would be a proof!"

"Kitty?" he offered her his arm.

"Kitty Bennet. Miss Catherine Bennet, whom you will surely meet as soon as you visit Longbourn, but about whom you will soon hear everything that the local..." she bit her lip and blushed. "I'm sorry. My tongue runs ahead of my manners today. Or rather for the last several weeks. My parents think it's all Kitty's fault." She accepted his arm and they turned towards Lucas Lodge.

"I have indeed heard something or other about the Bennets today" he supplied when she lapsed into silence. "I cannot say it was very pleasant."

Mariah sighed deeply and theatrically.

"Of course. Which of the old cats did you take your tea with? Mrs Moosecombe? Mrs Long? Mrs Smythe? Anyway, whatever you heard, it is half lie, half supposition with a crumb of badly-interpreted observations. I've heard enough of it to be sure you couldn't have heard anything substantial. So?"

"Mrs Moosecombe."

"Old liar." Stated the nice, subtle and kind young lady at his side so forcefully that he stopped in his tracks, bewildered.

"Miss Lucas!"

"Yes, I _know_. She is older, a widow and respectable. And she is a stinking liar. The things she says about Mary...!"

"This I've heard too."

She weaved her hand dismisively.

"You are a man. She had to behave, especially as you are a clergyman. When she speaks to us, girls, or even better, out mothers, she is not so circumspect. I'd say, she is pretty crude about everything."

He felt warmness creeping into his cheeks.

"I don't think I should be discussing..."

"Oh, hang it. You aren't discussing, I'm just imparting a piece of knowledge. You were taking it from the old hag, you can take it from me."

Her words caught him off-guard. Of course, he was talking, gossiping and exchanging confidences with the best - or worst - women in the country, but usually from the generation of his own mother. Perhaps it was time to interview someone closer to the Bennet girls, whatever they did to earn such censure in the town.

So it became a new way of working for him - whenever he met one of the more vicious "hags", he met either with Mariah, who explained as well as she could...

_"No, Lizzie didn't do anything like this. Impossible. And she is not heavily pregnant. She is just ill. Like pneumonia, or something around, I've heard doctor say."_

_"Did you see her yourself?"_

_"Only in passing. She was being brought down to the dining-room, as she had sprained her ankle badly and cannot climb or go down the stairs. So one of Mr Bingley's friends offered to serve as the invalid's legs and he was taking her to the dinner. We were invited, as it was Mrs. Bingley's birthday and it was in Netherfield and not Longbourn, so Papa couldn't refuse. And Lizzie looked thin. And I mean thin, like a stick. Her hands were so skinny, the bones, I could see them through the skin. Like an old woman. And she could barely hold her fork and knife, so this friend of Mr. Bingley was seated next to her and helped her to fill her plate. Not that she ate much, and for sure not as my older sister ate when she was with a child! Lizzie only drank tea, ate some bread and potato, and a bite of meat. Charlotte, when she expected, could eat almost anything, Mama said that she had to lock the pantry when they were visiting, or we would end up with only eggs for breakfast."_

So, Elizabeth Bennet was not expecting, as the "hags" tried to convince him. But there was something wrong, something perhaps even more unusual than a gentleman's daughter with impeccable reputation getting pregnant.

_The church seemed quite empty, except for the flowers arranged near the altar and the money-box on its little table next to the door. Mr Tippens' eyes spied however a light-brown bonnet - and a head of a young lady - in one of the front pews._

_"Excuse me, Miss" he took the few strides towards her. "I have to close the church."_

_She started, visibly surprised by his sudden appearance._

_"I'm sorry... I mean, Mr Byworth always closes at eight, and I thought I could..."_

_"You still have ten minutes, don't worry. I have to check several things before I go" he motioned towards the records bookcase._

_"I'll... I'll leave you to it" she stood up, clutching a book and her gloves in one hand and fixing her glasses with the other. She looked at him finally and stopped in her tracks. "Ah. You are the new curate."_

_"Yes. And if I may be so bold, my name is Hubert Tippens" he bowed with a flourish._

_She curtsied, not very expertly, if he could judge, and held out her right hand._

_"I'm Mary Bennet. Of Longbourn. And now I should really leave, as your reputation should not be risked in this way."_

_"My... my reputation?" he stammered._

_"Yes, _your_ reputation. After all, what _new_ could happen to mine?" she sighed. "Ah, yes, this would actually be a new one. Nobody yet accused any of us of seducing a clergyman."_

_"What?" he uttered, this time more articulately._

_"You will hear it all soon enough. People around here spend altogether too much time on gossiping and too little on trying to improve themselves. I don't understand the allure of gossips, and if I'm happy of anything now, it's exclusion from the duty of attending such gatherings I'd otherwise be pressed to participate in." She finished enigmatically and a bit absently. "Good day to you, Mr Tippens."_

_She pulled on her gloves and hid the book in a small handbag. She nodded at him and walked briskly towards the exit, but as soon as she opened the heavy door, he heard her utter - to his astonishment - a rather unladylike exclamation._

_"It's raining" she explained, looking over her shoulder. "I'm afraid it will take at least half an hour to pass. And I should be at home in half of this..."_

_"Your parents will understand that you couldn't have walked in this rain" he approached her and examined the clouds. "If it doesn't stop raining soon, I'll drive you there in my cart. It will not be less wet, but it will be faster than walking."_

_"Thank you. At least in the rain nobody will see us."_

_He let this one pass, as he observed the young woman closely. She was not a classic beauty - actually, she was no beauty - large glasses made her eyes seem a bit goggly, her lips were too thin and she was pale - not fashionably, but rather sickly pale, as if she didn't see sun and worked too much. But there was something in the way she spoke, in the way she looked defiantly at him, in the manner of her voice, that was interesting. He fixed his own glasses, as they had a tendency to slip down his straight nose and motioned in the direction of the last pew._

_"We could probably sit down in respectful distance from one another and talk until the rain lessens."_

_"Or I could read my book and you could check whatever it was you wanted to check in the records" she suggested with a strained smile. "I just hope this will pass soon. I _must_ be home as soon as I can..."_

Now, as he sat at yet another apple pie and smiled kindly at another elderly lady, he recalled quite clearly Miss Mary's quiet whisper.

_"It's my turn to sit with Lizzy..."_

When questioned, Miss Mary only divulged that she should take her turn in sitting with her ill sister and that she would be relieving her older sister, who was expecting currently and should not overexert herself. As to the illness...

_"Pneumonia, the doctors say, but a pneumonia passes quickly. My father denies this possibility, and my sisters are too trusting to seek other answers, but we will have to remove Jane from Lizzy soon. It would not do for a young mother to contract consumption, now would it? Kitty and I are strong and we will suffice. For as long as she is with us..."_

So, some local gossip, a friend's observation, sister's explanations...

_Miss Mary was standing in front of the altar, clutching her prayer-book and surveying the floor._

_"I'm trying to convince her to let you or dr. Byworth see her. She feels it would only give more fuel to the gossip, but I thought... If you saw her..."_

_"I will come, as soon as she is ready to meet me" he answered gravely._

_"Thank you. I hope it is soon."_

He hoped so, too. Fervently.

--

A/N: Sorry for taking so long. Real life, unfortunately. I write the next chapters down, in little pieces, in my notebook and will type them and combine into whole pieces as soon as I can. **Thank you!** for all the nice reviews :) There will be some Darcy, in good time, I promise.


	6. August, 20th

**AN**: Sorry for taking so long - other stories just forced their way into the queue and the RL didn't help. Hopefully I'll manage to get the few next finished in reasonable time. This one is not long, but just to get _something_ out here...

**August 20****th**

As a wave of warm weather rolled over whole England, Lizzy was cold. Fear was cold. She felt the fear almost physically, palpably, inside herself. Somewhere below her heart. It sat there, like and overgrown ice cube, and chilled her from its nest, made her shiver every time she moved or thought about it. She felt stifling hot air around her, in her room, from the garden - when the maid managed to reason with her and open the window - and everywhere. Warm soup she got for her dinner, hot tea she drank in the morning, even wonderful, thickly buttered toasts - at least! - couldn't melt the ice.

She wrapped herself in one additional blanket and sat up, propped with pillows and trembling with fear and pain. She didn't know anymore if the pain was real, imagined or self-inflicted. Ever since childhood, every time she got nervous, she had stomach aches. It was not often, but it was certainly uncomfortable. And now she couldn't even guess if what she felt was the old, well-known pain of her being afraid or if it was a _reason_ to be afraid.

She couldn't read much, the doctor didn't approve of the idea - for now - and even as she tried, her eyes got weary way too soon. She couldn't do anything useful - she could only stay in bed, wrap herself warmly and worry. So she worried, until she was sick and couldn't swallow even a spoon of soup.

She didn't want to let Jane know her fear, and she couldn't make herself to admit that she was making a mistake. The longer she waited, the bigger the fear grew.

At times, she managed to think about something else. Kitty, for example. Kitty had grown into a remarkably sober, ironic young woman, far away from the officer-crazy teenager Lizzy remembered. The two images didn't quite match... Kitty was now learning to crochet, the current fashionable pursuit of young ladies of the _ton_ as the magazines stated. So she sat, her working basket on the floor, next to her chair, a crocheting hook in her hand and something unrecognisable that was supposed to be a shawl, dangling from it. She tried to show Lizzy some stitches used in the work, but she only managed to add several rows to her work, as her sister's focus was obviously somewhere else.

_"I see you appreciate my efforts" the younger woman smirked. "You know, I could borrow some book from Mary and read it to you out loud, if you wish."_

_"Stop it" Lizzy smiled wanly. "If I want books, I may ask Jane to find me something in this abysmally undersupplied library of theirs, and have a maid read it to me. There is at least one literary enough to make the experience painless."_

_"Undersupplied?" Kitty's brows met her hairline. "I know you haven't been in there for some time, so I'll let this slight to our brother pass, but you really should be more up to date if you want to insult someone."_

_"What are you talking about, Kit?" Lizzy turned towards her fully._

_"Why, Charles has been buying almost each and every new publication, be it a novel or an agriculture textbook, and he actually made the housekeeper to appoint a group of maids to keep the place in order. He has acquired quite a collection, as father says. They even cooperate with Papa in buying interesting things both for Netherfield and Longbourn. Although Papa says that he can always borrow Charles' books if he wants and he does not wish to supply Mr Collins with literature he would not appreciate. So they hunt for books mainly for Charles and share everything."_

_"But if Jane wished to move away he would lose this chance... Poor Papa."_

_"They will not move very soon, I hope. Mamma drives me mad - sometimes - with her nerves. And it would mean you have to go back to your room in Longbourn and you would not like it, I'm sure. Here at least you have as many servants as you wish to wait on you hand and foot. I don't see old Hill running up and down the stairs to fetch you this or that. And I don't see Frankson picking you up and getting you up and down to the parlour and back. So you would have to stay in your room and you know you can't have any visitors there. Just you and Jane made a crowd already. Although, if it was not for very long, perhaps Jane would send for you. And someone would have to accompany you, isn't it true?"_

It was. As long as Jane would wish for he sisters' company so short after moving somewhere away - finally free of their mother. Lizzy rather suspected she might - they were probably superior company to... the superior sisters. She simply didn't see Caroline helping Jane with the baby. Of course, it would mean Lizzy should be up and about by the time the baby came - she would be of no use to Jane if she stayed in bed.

Jane sat with her in the evening, but neither spoke much. Jane kept silent for the fear of overly pressuring Lizzy to see the midwife, as she knew from lifelong experience that pressing Lizzy could bring only adverse effects. Lizzy didn't speak because she feared to discuss anew the idea of asking medical opinion. They both felt uncomfortable in each others presence and both sighed with relief when Charles came and claimed his wife's presence.

As they left, Lizzy finally gave in and rested on the mountain of pillows. She stared at the wall, at the ceiling, at her own hands - everywhere, but at Jane's chair. The chair itself had some uncanny ability to stare at her with expectation.

_Expectation_. Bad word. Contained another, equally bad.

Lizzy squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to concentrate on the signals of pain her insides were sending. She swallowed and willed them away. Down. _Die,_ she thought and immediately recoiled with fear and grief. _No. If someone is innocent here..._ she didn't want to finish the thought. _No._

She turned to her side, one flat pillow under her cheek, others discarded and slipping onto the floor. _I can't. I want to... I want everyone to go away and leave me alone. I can't do this._

Finally, her body gave in to exhaustion and she fell into uneasy sleep. She never heard Sarah opening the door slightly, peeking in and settling on her armchair with her mending.

Sarah had noticed the Mistress coming downstairs and conversing with the housekeeper, so she gathered her basket and hurried upstairs. The room was already dark, one lonely candle still burning, so she lighted her own from it and sat to work. She had several shirts with loosened or split seams which she would be able to save, if not for the Master, perhaps for the butler's use. As she tried to sew up the sleeve, she heard the Miss move. And speak.

"...smell awful... " she murmured. A pause, a moan. "...will get dirty." She breathed faster. "Where are we?" she asked quite clearly. Sarah set down her mending and approached the bed, just in time to catch the Miss as she sat up suddenly, panting hysterically, tears streaming down her face. "He was there" she sobbed. "_He_ was there."


End file.
